How do you keep a tent dry during rain?

[Tickla]

Last time we went we got rained out--puddles on the floor and everything- yuck! Yet our tent was a coleman that was guaranteed to keep you dry. Do tarps work well, or anyone ever used that spray stuff that weatherproofs it? I really don't want to get wet again-so some expert advice would help so much!

 

[CowboyCO]

Was the water coming from the top or sides of the tent? Or was it coming in from the bottom? From top or sides with no tears or holes, the leaks are likely coming from the seams, so seal them using silicone or seam sealers, which are sold at outdoor stores like REI.

If your tent is leaking/dripping from above and there are no holes/tears, and you have sealed the seams, I would contact coleman about the warranty. Of course, never touch a tent in the rain, or the warmth from your hand will "wick the moisture through the tent and cause a spot that will not stop dripping.

Choose a tent site carefully. Avoid low ground. Water naturally will run down away from the tent if you put it in the right place.

Make sure you understand how to properly set up the tent. Set it up in your backyard before you leave to practice. Use care when inserting poles so you don't puncture or tear the fabric.

If leaking is from the floor area, there are ways to keep more dry. Seal the floor seams if i hasn't been done. Again make sure you are on higher ground. Put down a tarp on the ground between the tent and the round, but make sure the tent completely covers the tarp. If the tarp sticks out from under the tent, water will run under the tent, and get you wet over time. Also the tarp will protect the bottom of the tent over time from punctures from rocks, sticks, etc. Keep sleeping bags/clothes away from the tent edges.

 

[jima53]

Most of the tents sold in the low to medium price range have tent flys that don't really cover all the sides to the ground. Water can get blown on the lower areas. Make sure you put a ground cloth down to keep water from coming up through the bottom. I've seen some really good tent tarps that covered the whole top of the tent in regular campgrounds that had nearby trees and tree limbs.

Jim

 

[Tickla]

Thanks alot! Lots of great info to help me--didn't think of all those tips--

 

[clkelley]

In addition to sealing the seams, I also go ahead and coat the material of my tent with sealant. It helps the waterproofing.

Make sure you set up your tent nice and tight and stake down every available stake and guy line. This helps water flow in the direction it was designed to flow.

I also put a ground cloth inside my tent (and under my tent as others have stated) as an extra layer to keep water from coming in from the ground.

I also put an extra shelter at the entrance to my tent so that when entering and exiting if it is raining keeps water from entering the tent and allows me to put on my shoes and rain gear outside the tent.

 

[clkelley]

Also, one more tip. If it is raining or cold (or both) while you are inside your tent, don't close up all of the windows. Keep a window cracked for airflow.

We as humans create lots of moisture just by breathing, and if you do this in a totally buttoned up tent, it will be raining inside your tent!!

Also, each day as you leave, try to open your windows up to dry things out and even run a fan to get rid of as much moisture as possible.

 

[kirkharrod]

When we are car-camping and not backpacking, we bring along a rain/sun shelter and set the tent up under it. This may not work if you have one of those huge "family" tents.

here is a link to one like ours:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/s...6&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1

Many rain-flys that come with moderate priced tents have to be tied off to structures to keep the fly from touching the tent and wicking water in.

With the Florida downpours that you are going to encounter, any tent less than , say, $400 is going to get wet. We bought a top of the line North Face tent to take to the Olympic national park rainforest. We stayed dry, and it was worth every cent.

 

[rer1972]

If your tent is too big for a canopy just bring a large tarp, rope, and bungie ties to make one that will cover your tent. As the others said sealing the tent and using a ground cloth/tarp should also make a big difference.

 

[minkydog]

When we are car-camping and not backpacking, we bring along a rain/sun shelter and set the tent up under it. This may not work if you have one of those huge "family" tents.

We have one of those huge family tents and we solved our "wetness" by erecting our Big Top. Buy at least 100ft of marine rope, a 20'x30'tarp, and several bungees. Before you set up camp, put up the Big Top--double string the rope across the site at the halfway point, as high in the trees as you can. Standing on the picnic table will do it Tie it off with as many sailor knots as you know. Throw the tarp over the rope and even it up. Drive the kids out of the middle where they're playing "fort". Tie two corners on one end to the trees with ropes and bungees, then tie the other two corners. Make sure one end is higher than the other for drainage. NOW put down the ground cloth, put up the tent and string your tacky lights.

Not only with a Big Top this size "float" over your tent, thereby eliminating that nasty "snapping" sound all night, it will provide shade in the intense summer sun AND keep you and all your stuff dry. When we put up the Big Top, people come from all over the campground to sit in our dry chairs and play cards in the rain. Our whole outfit cost us about $30(the tarp we got at Big Lots for <$10)

Cathy--hears circus music in the distance

 

[rer1972]

We have one of those huge family tents and we solved our "wetness" by erecting our Big Top. Buy at least 100ft of marine rope, a 20'x30'tarp, and several bungees. Before you set up camp, put up the Big Top--double string the rope across the site at the halfway point, as high in the trees as you can. Standing on the picnic table will do it Tie it off with as many sailor knots as you know. Throw the tarp over the rope and even it up. Drive the kids out of the middle where they're playing "fort". Tie two corners on one end to the trees with ropes and bungees, then tie the other two corners. Make sure one end is higher than the other for drainage. NOW put down the ground cloth, put up the tent and string your tacky lights.

Not only with a Big Top this size "float" over your tent, thereby eliminating that nasty "snapping" sound all night, it will provide shade in the intense summer sun AND keep you and all your stuff dry. When we put up the Big Top, people come from all over the campground to sit in our dry chairs and play cards in the rain. Our whole outfit cost us about $30(the tarp we got at Big Lots for <$10)

Cathy--hears circus music in the distance

Nice post. $10 at big lots? Guess I'm going there after work.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

We set our tents up in the backyard and hosed them down with CAMPDRY--We bought a couple of cans at Walmart in the shoe dept next to the mens boots.

Our big one only had one small leak in the area where the rooms connect together but it was just a small amount and easily wiped up. we believe it was because it wasn't pulled tight enough and the water just sat there and started to seep thru.

We did bring a huge tarp to cover the tent but we never received our tent poles from the front office until the day we were leaving to go back to the airport.

 

[clkelley]

With the Florida downpours that you are going to encounter, any tent less than , say, $400 is going to get wet. We bought a top of the line North Face tent to take to the Olympic national park rainforest. We stayed dry, and it was worth every cent.

I disagree. I have camped for the last 10 years in all kinds of rain in my $40 Wal-Mart (it does have a rainfly that covers most of the tent) and sealed the seams, sprayed the fabric with sealant. (I repeat about every 6 months since I use the tent almost every month). I use the outside and inside groundcloth and I don't get wet.

Just last year, I got a $100 Coleman 13x13 that I use for longer trips and do the same thing.

I stay dry as a bone.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I agree with clkelley. We have never had a tent that cost more than $100.00 and we've never had water issues. We've camped in all kinds of weather, including many days of rain, and never had any trouble. You definitely don't need an expensive tent to keep water out. Some planning and preparation before your trip should do the trick!

 

[Sinclare]

Last time we went we got rained out--puddles on the floor and everything- yuck! Yet our tent was a coleman that was guaranteed to keep you dry. Do tarps work well, or anyone ever used that spray stuff that weatherproofs it? I really don't want to get wet again-so some expert advice would help so much!

an Orange Coleman about 11*17 purchased from walmart? That's what I bought 2 of this year and setup for me and my parents/sister. The FIRST night we had a tropical storm come through (gah). The leaks weren't terrible/gushing but were bad enough. We went out and bought 5 cans of repellant the next day then sprayed them down best we could. Another tropical storm came through the next week we were there and we only got a few leaks around the bottom seam that time.

Oh, and don't get me started on the Wal-mart net tent I bought to put over the picnic table.... It had plastic poles and broke in half the first night! I saw 5-6 more of them in the campground the next moring in the same shape...on the ground.

Anyway, enough of a rant. Yes if it's the walmart coleman tent then get about 4-5 cans of waterproofing and spray the seams real real good..especially the bottom seam and the rainfly seam. I just took out one of the tents last week, put it up, and put an extra 2 cans on it (just the seams at the bottom of the main tent. Afterwards, I still found I had a small leak through a seam in the rainfly (very minor but still there). I went out and bought another can and re-sprayed the rainfly seams again. That better plug every hole! Not sure I'll ever buy a Coleman again.

One good think I will say about the tent though is the bottom cuts out the need for a ground cloth. It's very heavy. I made the mistake of putting ground cloths under it in June and no matter how well tucked it was, watter still got under. Then I sat it up the other day without the ground cloth, let it sit through some major rain, and when I took it down (grass still wet), the bottom was almost completely dry.

 

[Tickla]

Well, mine was from Target, but it sounds like your experience was just like ours. I've been doing some research and most reviews on Coleman tents are pretty bad! I went to a sporting goods store just today and the person there said Colemans were made pretty poorly. (wish I would have known that last year!) but I thought because of the "guaranteed to keep you dry" thing they have, I didn't have to worry, but I was mistaken. We are considering a different brand for our January trip, as we will be camping 8 nights instead of 5 last year--and I really don't want to get soaked! If not I will definately do the repellant--Thanks!!!

 

[CottontailCurl]

Not only with a Big Top this size "float" over your tent, thereby eliminating that nasty "snapping" sound all night, it will provide shade in the intense summer sun AND keep you and all your stuff dry. When we put up the Big Top, people come from all over the campground to sit in our dry chairs and play cards in the rain. Our whole outfit cost us about $30(the tarp we got at Big Lots for <$10)

Cathy--hears circus music in the distance

Cathy, have you set up at Fort Wilderness like that? I believe I've seen you or someone else set up like that during one of our trips there. I thought "now that's my kind of campers, hubba hubba" !

Angie